Read 3dfaces defined in an ASCII or binary format STL file.
Access methods
8 Toolbar:
8 Menu: ComputationalCAD Import Import STL
7 Command entry: CC:IO:STLIN
Dialog for ASCII format
Insert on layer
[Current/specify Name/by STL] <by STL>:
Specify the layer the faces will be
inserted.
<Current>: The points will lie on the
current layer.
<by STL>:
The points
will lie on a layer named by the solid name in the ASCII STL file header. If the
layer does not exist, it will be
created. (Default)
<specify Name>: The
following dialog is displayed:
Specify layer name:
Enter the name of the layer the points shall be added to.
If the layer does not exist, it will be generated.
Dialog for binary format
Insert on layer
[Current/specify Name] <Current>:
Specify the layer the faces will be
inserted.
<Current>: The points will lie on the
current layer. (Default)
<specify Name>:
The following dialog is
displayed:
Specify layer name:
Enter the name of the layer the
points shall be added to. If the layer does not exist, it will be generated.
Note
ASCII or binary format STL will be detected automatically.
Some elder STL formats may only accept positive coordinates. ComputationalCAD for AutoCAD accepts both positive and negative XYZ coordinates. However, you will be warned if negative coordinates have been detected during read.
In both ASCII and binary versions of STL, the facet normal should be a unit vector pointing outwards from the solid object (“right hand rule”). ComputationalCAD for AutoCAD ignores facet normal vectors. However, you will be warned if inconsistent facet normals have been detected.
In binary STL, ComputationalCAD for AutoCAD accepts color information in VisCAM / SolidView format (RGB information in the attribute byte count, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STL_(file_format) ).
Coordinates always refer to the WCS.
Example ASCII STL format command line output
STL solid name : surface
Number of triangles read : 126523
Number of degenerate triangles: 0
Has negative coordinates : False
Inconsistent facet normals : True
Solid inserted on layer surface
Example binary STL format command line output
Number of triangles read : 126523
Number of degenerate triangles: 0
Has negative coordinates : False
Inconsistent facet normals : True
File contains colors : True